When a finger or toe is fractured or dislocated it is often necessary to immobilize it after restoring the position of the bone to its original position to allow it to heal. This can be done with the aid of device called a splint. By a "splint" we mean here any device which is used to immobilize an extremity of the body or a terminal member of an extremity to allow it to heal or for any other medical purpose.
The known splint comprises several rigid members, usually two flat pieces of wood, which are applied to opposite sides of the finger or toe which is being set after a fracture, and a strip of substantially inelastic cloth or bandage which is wrapped around the finger or toe to hold the rigid members in place. The bandage or strip of cloth can be secured by an adhesive strip, it can have an adhesive-bearing surface or it can be secured by a clip or some other method.
The known splint has several disadvantages. First it is generally substantially inelastic so that it does not allow for changes in anatomy or for swelling leading to discomfort and possible healing problems. Second by itself it is not waterproof or dust-proof so that water, dirt or disease-causing germs can lodge in gaps and crevices between the parts of the splint and the finger or toe. If the splinted terminal member of an extremity or the extremity is frequently washed, the materials making up the splint may swell or weaken. Furthermore if only two pieces of wood are used to provide a rigid support for the finger or toe the splint can be incorrectly applied so that the finger or toe can bend or flex after application. Also if the break is severe supporting two sides of the terminal member of an extremity may not provide enough support for a safe healing process to be guaranteed. Lastly the current splints are not easily removed and replaced by the patient.
It is an object of our invention to provide an improved splint which fixes and supports an extremity or a terminal member of an extremity such as a finger or toe around its entire circumference so that it is kept substantially straight and can not be bent in any direction.
It is also an object of our invention to provide an improved splint which fixes and supports a finger, toe or similar extremity so that it can not be bent in any direction without effecting other parts of the body.
It is an additional object of our invention to provide an improved splint which fixes and supports an extremity or terminal member of an extremity so that it can not bend in any direction but which on the other hand is sufficiently elastic to allow for changes in anatomy and for swelling.
It is another object of our invention to provide an improved splint which fixes and supports an extremity or terminal member of an extremity around its entire circumference, which is completely closed and thus waterproof and does not collect dirt or germs.
It is a further object of our invention to provide an improved splint which fixes and supports an extremity or terminal member of an extremity around its entire circumference but which can be easily removed and replaced by the patient.
It is yet another object of our invention to provide an improved splint which fixes and supports an extremity or a terminal member of an extremity such as a finger or a toe so that the finger or toe can not be bent in any direction but which easily folds up for storage and which does not have an expiration date beyond which it can not be used.